The effect of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids on Trypanosoma cruzi infections in mice

Five bisbenzylisoquinoline (BBI) alkaloids, curine, cycleanine, isotetrandrine, limacine and pheanthine were tested for trypanocidal activity in C3H/He mice infected with Y or CL strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. The activity was compared with the baseline drug, benznidazole. Oral treatment was more effective with curine at 10 mg/kg or with cycleanine at 2 mg/kg daily for 10 days in mice infected with Y or CL strain. In these groups, the parasitemias were negative after 5-7 weeks after inoculation and mortality time 50 (MT50) was significantly higher than untreated mice. Benznidazole was effective in mice infected with CL strain but not in mice infected with Y strain. The other BBI showed a relative efficacy against both strains. The effect of BBI alkaloids could be due to a blocking of the Ca2+ channel for the regulation of T. cruzi infectivity to invade host cells or their selective immunosuppressive properties. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.